New Jersey Devils Must Make Deep Playoff Run To Justify Last Season

As the new NHL season begins and training camps open, all eyes will be on what the New Jersey Devils do. After exceeding expectations last season, the hunters have not become the hunted. The Devils have a target on their back in the Metro Division.

It is easy for a team to do what the Devils did when there are no expectations on you entering a season. Let’s see what this team does with expectations on them. We saw last time, after the 2017-18 season, where the Devils made the playoffs and made additions in the offseason to take the next step; the team went backward. That can’t happen this time. And most likely won’t.

General manager Tom Fitzgerald has continued to build a winning culture in New Jersey where players want to come and play. That is a change from about five years ago. But Fitzgerald continues to bring in the right players to fit into head coach Lindy Ruff’s system.

For example, this past offseason the Devils acquired Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller. Signed Tomas Nosek and re-signed Jesper Bratt, Erik Haula, Nathan Bastian and Timo Meier (who was acquired at the NHL Trade Deadline). The latter four were crucial to the Devils playoff run in 2023.

In speaking with the media, players like Colin Miller and Tomas Nosek were excited to come to New Jersey, knowing the culture that was being built. That says a lot about what Fitzgerald has done in such a short time.

While the Devils will look differently on defense with Damon Severson now in Columbus and Ryan Graves in Pittsburgh, New Jersey is confident that Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec can fill those roles. But it is just not the expectations of the young players. It is the whole team.

From Jack Hughes to Nico Hischier to Bratt to Meier and everyone in between, the expectations are going to be raised. Hughes continues to set the tone for the Devils. During the NHL North American Media Tour, he came out and said he wanted to be a 100-point player.

Well, he was not too far off last season. Hughes recorded 99 points, one shy of 100 points. He has the right mindset of continually getting better and is not satisfied with the numbers he had last season.

“I’m a competitive person, so definitely a little like, ‘Damn,’ you know?” Hughes said of his 99-point effort during a recent appearance on the “32 Thoughts” podcast. “I wanted that because I’m competitive.

“You’re so close, and you dream of being a star and you want to be a 100-point guy. … I believe I will be and just gotta stay on the path I’m on and keep my nose to the grind. I should get there.”

Around Full Press Hockey

NHL: Mike Babcock is the CM Punk of NHL Head Coaches

NHL: New Jersey Devils Becoming a Destination for Players Again

Hockey News: Mike Babcock Resigns As Head Coach of Columbus Blue Jackets

Full Press Hockey Weekly:  Ep 67: Karlsson Trade, Matt Dumba Signs, NHL News and Notes

PODCAST: Ep 64: Hockey Hall Of Fame, Free Agency, and More

WANT MORE PODCASTS? Full Press NHL Podcast: Around the NHL Offseason From Trades To Free Agency To Retirements To Rumors

For only being in his fourth season in the league, Hughes is a very mature player. Hughes has the potential to be in the Hart Trophy conversation along with the best player in the league in a year or two. But for now, he is focused on helping the Devils improve this season and take the next step.

And the next step is the Eastern Conference Final. While some have the Devils as a Stanley Cup contender, that might be a little premature. The biggest hole for the team is goaltending. You could throw in the unproven players on defense, but goaltending will be a question mark.

Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid appear to be the tandem heading into the season. Connor Hellebuyck’s name remains out there but again right now Winnipeg is holding on to him for the right deal. If Hellebuyck does not move, the Devils will need Vanecek and Schmid to improve.

Both were good last season. Especially Schmid in the playoffs. But the goaltending for the New Jersey Devils was exposed in their series against Carolina. And the Hurricanes will be a team that will battle for the top spot in the Metro again this year.

As stated on the Rod Pedersen Show on Tuesday, the Devils cannot take a step backward this year. Yes, the Devils will be hunted now. Expectations will be high with the moves they made in the offseason. There is always room for improvement. Now, they have to go out and execute.

A playoff appearance for the New Jersey Devils will not be good enough for this team this year. The Devils have to make a significant run in the playoffs this year to justify last season’s performance.

Higher expectations mean higher results. Unfair or not, that is the case. And the players know it.

As Bratt said on Day 1 of on-ice training, “We’re ready to win.”

Now, the New Jersey Devils must go out and prove they are ready to win. Prove last season was not a fluke. Their play will indicate who they say they are.

The time for talking is over.